Recipe Sifter

Microwave Italian tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, basil, and oregano, ready in under 10 minutes. No stirring, no stovetop. A quick base sauce for pasta, pizza, or chicken Parmesan.

Champagne fruit bowl tosses crisp apples and seasonal fruit in fresh citrus, then gets a splash of chilled bubbly and toasted almonds right before serving. A bright, boozy brunch centerpiece that comes together in a single bowl.

Old-fashioned raspberry pie with a double crust, thickened with instant tapioca and brightened by almond extract and lemon juice. A bakery-style summer pie that slices clean.

Vegan hearty stew with dried chickpeas and kidney beans simmered in a curry-soy broth, thickened with pureed parsnips, and loaded with carrots, zucchini, bulgur, pasta, and spinach.

Panelle are Sicilian chickpea fritters: simmered chickpea-flour dough chilled, cut into rounds, deep-fried golden, and dusted with lemon-zest-peppered almonds. Street food from Palermo.

Baked honey Vidalia onions roasted cut-side up in honey, tomato juice, and paprika until silky soft and deeply caramelized. A simple, hands-off side dish with a savory-sweet glaze.

Pear butter made with 12 fresh pears simmered in sweet wine, water, and honey until thick and spreadable. A 4-ingredient fruit butter with no added sugar.

Szechwan spiced beef stew braised with star anise, hot bean paste, crushed peppercorns, and dry sherry. Deeply aromatic Chinese-style comfort food.

A lighter baked rice pudding studded with chopped apples and dates, lifted with folded egg whites for a soufflé-like texture. Warm, cinnamony, and comforting.

Vegan sweet and sour stir-fry with mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, bell pepper, and squash in a ginger-soy-brown sugar glaze. No oil needed. Serve over brown rice.

Olive Profumate: oil-cured black olives marinated with fennel seeds, orange zest, and sliced garlic. A no-cook Italian appetizer that keeps for two weeks in the fridge.

Cranberry ginger tea steeped with fresh ginger slices and whole cranberries, finished with cranberry juice and nutmeg. A caffeine-free herbal tea served warm or iced with mint.

Hint of ginger marinade combines soy sauce, dry sherry, fresh ginger, garlic, and lemon zest for poultry, pork, and fish. A fast Asian-leaning marinade ready in 5 minutes, no cooking required.

Homemade picante sauce simmered with canned whole tomatoes, fresh jalapenos, onion, and apple cider vinegar. Adjust the heat by adding more peppers. Serve chilled with chips.

Grilled filet mignon sliced thin and marinated in chili paste, fish sauce, and vinegar, then served over crisp lettuce with cucumber-papaya rolls and a zesty lime dressing.

Crispy lemon oatmeal cookies made with egg whites, brown sugar, and rice cereal for extra crunch. No butter, no yolks. A lighter, citrus-bright cookie.